Increased use of tablets and smartphone this holiday season will help online sales grow 16% to a record $61 billion, but desktop computers still dominate, according to the online measurement firm comScore.

The company said online sales during the November and December timeframe would be primarily driven by desktop computers, but noted that mobile devices are growing at a faster rate. Spending using desktop computers is projected to grow 14% to $53.2 billion while mobile commerce is projected to grow 25% to $7.9 billion and account for 13% of total e-commerce sales.

The new Profile series of freestanding ranges from GE will allow homeowners to turn the oven on in between games of Candy Crush, among other things.

The Wi-Fi-enabled series of gas and electric ranges can be controlled remotely by the GE Brillion smartphone app.

“We’re expanding our line of connected appliances to make life easier while you’re on the go,” GE Product Manager Jonathan Sprigler said. “Consumers expect more things to be accessible through their phones, and GE is enabling them to have the control they want.”

St. Paul, Minnesota-based EcoWater Systems, a Marmon Water/Berkshire Hathaway company, is transforming how consumers interact with their water treatment systems with the introduction of HydroLink Plus Wi-Fi web-based technology. HydroLink Plus makes it possible to monitor and manage EcoWater water treatment systems and water usage via a smartphone, tablet or computer from virtually anywhere inside or outside the home.

Lowe’s has begun selling four new products that work with Iris, the home improvement company’s smart home program. The products can communicate with Iris and be controlled remotely via computer, smartphone or tablet.

The new additions to the line are a water timer for faucets, a window blinds controller, a garage door opener and a pet door. The Z-Wave garage door opener and Iris window blinds controllers let homeowners operate their home with their phones, and allows them to schedule what times of day the blinds are open.

Las Vegas -- Weathering the storm of the digital revolution has been a major focal point here at the National Hardware Show thus far, where opting out is hardly on the table. Especially driving this point home were FunMobility's Pat Murphy; Linda Roark of Pete's Ace Hardware in Castro, California; and Jodie Larson of Brentwood Ace Hardware.

In a seminar titled "Using Mobile to Drive Real Business Results," the three discussed their own successes with FunMobility's mobile marketing campaign and the importance of the smartphone in today's retail landscape.

On Dec. 5, 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Innovation Act by a largely bipartisan vote of 325 to 91. The legislation, which is sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlattee (R-Va.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, exacts a substantial blow against patent trolls who, in recent years, have gone after the retail industry with outlandish patent infringement claims.

If you were hoping to launch your quick-drying spackle on Kickstarter last fall, you may have been out of luck. Or at least that’s how the story at Lockitron goes: In October 2012, co-founders Cameron Robertson and Paul Gerhardt took to TechCrunch to explain how their smartphone-enabled deadbolt was rejected by the crowdfunding platform for falling under the prohibited category of home improvement.

Boston -- Brian Kilcourse, managing partner for Retail Systems Research, took some time out at the Orgill Fall Market Friday to deliver a primer on mobile technology as a driving force in the contemporary retail environment.

The seminar, titled "The New Rules of Retail: How Today's Consumer is Changing the Game," positioned mobile technology as a harbinger of a giant "reset" in retail comparable to the Industrial Revolution and onset of the Information Age.

Marking the latest entry in the booming smart home market, Kwikset (a brand of the Hardware & Home Improvement (HHI) division of Spectrum Brands Holdings) has announced that its Kevo smart lock technology is available for pre-order.

In partnership with UniKey Technologies, Inc., Kwikset makes it possible to unlock a deadbolt using a mobile app and the touch of a finger. According to the company, users will be able to use the technology without taking their phone out of their pockets or purses.

GE has released a full-size oven featuring vents on the top of the oven cavity in an effort to improve air flow, provide even baking results and shorten cooking times. The True European Convection with Direct Air technology is coupled with Brillion-enabled WiFi capabilities that can be controlled directly through a smartphone app.

Backed with money from Kickstarter, the online funding platform, the creative minds behind a new brand of bulb have set out to change how the world views the light bulb.

The new energy-efficient LED wonder, called LIFX, is a Wi-Fi-enabled, multicolor bulb that the consumer controls with a smartphone.

"The light bulb hasn't changed much in over 125 years, and the smart bulb revolution is just beginning. It's an incredibly exciting time to give people a clean energy alternative and help make their homes smarter," said founder and CEO Phil Bosua.

Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s will unveil the next wave of products and services for Iris, its cloud-based smart home solution, at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show.

Iris enables homeowners to monitor and control their homes from anywhere via smartphone, tablet or computer with a free basic level of service. Lowe’s will showcase more than 15 new Iris devices and services developed since the smart home solution’s launch in 2012 at the show.

Hunter Fan has introduced its Universal Internet Thermostat, which is controlled in-home or remotely with a smartphone app. The energy-saving thermostat, which can also be programmed by a smartphone, retails for $99. According to the Memphis, Tenn., company, the product installs in five minutes.

Expectations are high that mobile payments represent the future of commerce, and a group of leading retailers this week formed a new organization to offer an alternative way to pay.

The group, Merchant Customer Exchange, will integrate a range of consumer offers, promotions and retail programs available via any smartphone. Participating retailers include Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Sears Holdings Corp. and Target. Additional members are expected to be announced in the coming months.

IKEA Canada has announced that its new catalog, debuting Aug. 13, has incorporated a host of interactive elements designed for smartphones and tablets.

When holding a smartphone or tablet over a page, users are able to access films about IKEA products, experience 3-D models, look behind closed doors with an X-ray function or change curtains and get creative.

Users will access the bonus material by downloading the IKEA app to smartphones or tablets, or by visiting Ikea.ca.

IKEA Canada has announced that its new catalog, debuting Aug. 13, has incorporated a host of interactive elements designed for smartphones and tablets.

When holding a smartphone or tablet over a page, users are able to access films about IKEA products, experience 3-D models, look behind closed doors with an X-ray function or change curtains and get creative.

Users will access the bonus material by downloading the IKEA app to smartphones or tablets, or by visiting Ikea.ca.

Dublin, Calif.-based Epicor has made available mobile versions of its software solutions for manufacturing, distribution and retail.

Developed by the dedicated Epicor mobile development team, Mobile Manager for Catalyst and ECS Pro allows storeowners and managers to get more done by serving them real-time information on their Android or Apple smartphone or tablet. Managers can respond to customer inquiries, track the health of the business and make informed decisions with their mobile device.

Dublin, Calif.-based Epicor has made available mobile versions of its software solutions for manufacturing, distribution and retail.

Developed by the dedicated Epicor mobile development team, Mobile Manager for Catalyst and ECS Pro allows storeowners and managers to get more done by serving them real-time information on their Android or Apple smartphone or tablet. Managers can respond to customer inquiries, track the health of the business and make informed decisions with their mobile device.

Despite concerns about the economy and rising household expenses, nearly three out of five (59%) consumers will put aside economic worries and spend the same or more this holiday season, according to Deloitte’s 26th annual survey of holiday spending intentions and trends. While this is a slight decline from 2010, it represents an eight-percentage point increase from 2009.

Across the country, and across a broad spectrum of industries, advertisements sporting mobile bar codes are becoming an increasingly familiar sight. QR codes — quick response codes — are the most common of a few types of bar codes that consumers can scan using a pre-downloaded smartphone app. The bar codes may appear on anything from posters to packaging to catalogs and, when scanned, lead consumers to a specific set of information, often through a mobile website.

Across the country, and across a broad spectrum of industries, advertisements sporting mobile bar codes are becoming an increasingly familiar sight. QR codes — quick response codes — are the most common of a few types of bar codes that consumers can scan using a pre-downloaded smartphone app. The bar codes may appear on anything from posters to packaging to catalogs and, when scanned, lead consumers to a specific set of information, often through a mobile website.

Quikrete has announced the launch of new smartphone-friendly features, including a mobile website and Quick Response codes, which will be printed on advertisements and retailer bin tags wherever Quikrete products are sold.

The QR codes are paper-based bar codes, and may be scanned with smartphone cameras, using a previously downloaded application that's increasingly common.